


Brothers By Choice

by MinzeySparkleIsPerfect8



Series: Tokyo Ghoul X Danganronpa oneshots connected to Hide Your Flesh [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Fluff and Angst, I'm sorry if this seems rushed, Souda and Gundam haven't gotten together yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 06:09:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14562567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinzeySparkleIsPerfect8/pseuds/MinzeySparkleIsPerfect8
Summary: Byakuya was not interested in most things but he was curious as to why this child with fire-like red hair was so attached to him.*This was made on the 5th and finished on the 7thHappy birthday, my precious May children!





	Brothers By Choice

Thirteen year old Byakuya Togami was a moody little shit, even though he has a second family that loved him very much (probably more than his _actual_  family) but he still felt... Lonely.

 

He earned his money by working jobs and stock trading, especially at a café as a debt to return to Amaya after she graciously taken him in and gave him an extra family after he ran into Ghoul Investigators. He had no problem with hiding his age since he was usually taller than most kids for his age, even Gundam was always an inch shorter than him.

 

The two kids weren't the only two who helped around in Tanaka Café. Amaya did hire some teens who worked part time but usually the children that she took care of were there all the time.

 

She had Ibuki Mioda, who always brought in her guitar to play gentle music, she always had a shy personality when not in the same vicinity as an instrument but it always changed the moment she begins to play; there was Sayaka Maizono, a girl who always practiced singing in her free time and spending time with the shy Ibuki but like Byakuya, she isn't around as much as the others; Mikan Tsumiki, a very timid girl who was famous for being bullied - even more than Ibuki - who kept hiding behind Byakuya whenever she was frightened and the youngest of group of six, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, a very moral boy with his goals set in life. All of them were ghouls, two not as much as the others but they always grew closer every time they met up with eachother.

 

And yet... Byakuya still felt lonely... Like an outcast.

 

Amaya studied about ghouls and was now adapted at identifying whoever was a ghoul and who was not, but she also learned about what they need to survive while not getting too suspicious, she began to make the kids train to increase their strength, incase they ever ran into trouble.

 

Today, Byakuya trained alongside Mikan and Kiyotaka. Both were equally as shy to train and kept holding back in fear of hurting their friend. Comparing their skills to Byakuya would be like comparing a rabbit to a slick ocelot who has their sharp eyes glued to the jugular of its prey.

 

"Come on, you two. You won't ever get stronger if you hold back. I've been trying my best to help you get stronger for five days of my two weeks here, but  there has been very little progress." Byakuya scolded with his arms folded. Mikan and Kiyotaka rubbed their newly received bruises on their bodies, both of them knew how hard Byakuya tried to work as much as he could as a Togami and friend but they just don't have the guts to attack.  
"S-sorry Byakuya... I-I just hate h-hurting the ones I love." Mikan stuttered timidly, almost drawn to tears. She would always fall over and burst into the disfunctuonal water works, Byakuya would always find her obnoxious when it came to falling into the most intentional seductive positions.

"She's right. I cannot even imagine hurting a friend of mine, sensei." Kiyotaka replied as he got up into his normal stiffened stance, rusting like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz.

"Just Byakuya, Taka. I'm saying this from experience, I ran from humans when they were an immediate threat to me and I ran into Ghoul Investigators. Imagine if Amaya had never came to save me, I would be dead right now. She's only making us train for our own good and even I would hate to see any of you get hurt." Byakuya spoke with confidence, showing his experience through his gentle facial expression.

 

"Of course we know, but we don't want to hurt you." Taka spoke up again, making the blonde sigh loudly and rub his temples softly as possible. Kiyotaka and Mikan were hard people to deal with, it'd be hard to train them if they've been affected by their childhood this deep.

"O-oh... Hello there." Mikan suddenly said with a gentle tone.

 

Byakuya pulled his hand away and noticed how Mikan and Taka were looking at something behind him. He decided to turn around and he came face to face with a red-headed 5 year old boy that gazed at him with an innocent expression of awe.

 

"Umm... Hello..." Byakuya said lightly. The young boy had sweet blue eyes and bushy eyebrows that rivaled Kiyotaka's, "hey Taka? Is this someone related to you?"

"Not that I know of," Taka responded, a hand automatically going to a locket around his neck that held a picture of his incomplete family, "I don't think he is, the recessive alleles are more dominant in his genes but my DNA holds much more dominant-"

"I asked if he was related to you, not a science lesson." Byakuya interrupted harshly, the demeanor instantly caused Taka to shut his mouth and look down at his feet as if he wore a hat that said 'dunce'.

 

The young redhead began to reach out for Byakuya, causing the preteen to take a step away from the child.

 

"Go away," Byakuya ordered, only to be ignored. The child just kept slowly walking to him, causing him to take another step back. The blonde felt cornered despite being bigger and more experienced than a child, "are your parents around?"

  
"He smells like a ghoul." Mikan spoke softly to not scare the boy as she came to Byakuya's rescue and gently picked up the child.  
"He must be one of the children that Miss Amaya offered to look after, I checked up with her about it," Kiyotaka stated once he remember what Amaya said before. Again, the boy kept reaching for the blonde, "I believe he wants you to carry him, Byakuya."  
"Me?"

 

"Uwa!" The boy cried excitedly, waving his arms around for Byakuya.  
"H-he's quite strong, B-Byakuya." Mikan stuttered.  
"I do not like children," The blonde threw his nose up high, he did like some kids but he just found them slightly unpleasant. He was not expecting for Mikan to step forward and let the boy grab the blonde's clothes, making Byakuya automatically hold the boy, "M-Mikan!"

 

"Are you Mama!" The child cried.  
"No." Byakuya said with widened eyes.  
"What about Papa? He tilted his head to the side.  
"No!" The blonde shouted, regrettably making the child flinch.  
"...Brother?..." The boy whimpered with eyes watering in fear of being yelled at again.  
"..." Byakuya said nothing this time, he didn't want to leave this child in tears. Besides, he kinda liked the nickname, "y-yeah. Brother."  
"Brother! Brother!" The redhead giggled as he hugged Byakuya in a tight embrace. Byakuya thought he saw a bit of purple on the child's arm.  
"Umm, what's your name?"  
"Mas-ru!"  
"...Masaru?"  
"Yeah! Masaru!"  
"Alright then. Masaru, it is."

 

"S-someone likes you." Mikan smiled.  
"I believe so."

 

* * *

 

Masaru stayed attached to Byakuya for the rest of the day and the next. Every time he got taken away from him, he immediately latched back onto the blonde's leg on the next day.

 

"I believe Masaru's father hasn't finished his work yet," Amaya stated as she looked at the time, only 7:45 P.M, "Masaru may have to stay the night."

"I can stay with Byakuya-Bro!" The child cheered in what seemed to be relief.

"Tch. If he's staying the night, then he'll sleep in the other room." Byakuya said, trying to hide his creeping smile.

"No. I stay with you!"

 

Byakuya didn't stop himself from smiling this time.

 

At 8, Amaya sent the kids to bed and the only blonde in the building was struggling to put Masaru to bed.

 

"I'm not tired!" Masaru squealed as he jumped up and down on the bed.

"Why am I even trying?" Byakuya sighed after having his hands stepped on repeatedly. Masaru quickly grabbed the blonde by his neck and dangled his legs behind him and yet, Byakuya didn't get strangled. However, he noticed a purple mark on Masaru's wrist, "Masaru, what's this?"

 

The boy immediately tensed up and let go of Byakuya.

  
"Masaru, what's the matter?" The redhead quickly hid his wrist, "did you hurt yourself?"

"Yeah!" Masaru quickly answered, Byakuya frowned. Ghouls always healed whenever they got hurt, but it depended on their kagune types. And ghoul children hadn't developed their healing abilities entirely until they turn eleven.

"I'm not sure I believe you."

"I tell the truth! All the time!"

"Alright then." Byakuya didn't believe the child but he decided to avoid interrogating the little boy.

"....When is your birthday?" The redheaded child asked after being silent for almost a minute.

"My birthday?" Masaru nodded, Byakuya thought for a moment as he looked up at the ceiling that was decorated in sports ball stickers. "May 5th. It's in a month."

"Really? Mine's the 7th." Masaru proclaimed in awe, the blonde gave a smirk.

"So two days after mine." Byakuya whispered. Masaru tugged on his pyjama shirt.

"Can I have a story?" He asked with wide eyes, Byakuya couldn't resist those eyes that Masaru learned from Ibuki. 

"Let me see," Byakuya grabbed the book that stood under the lampshade on the desk, golden trim at the pages of the book. Immediately Masaru was interested by an item this pretty, "how would you like to learn about great historical people?" That stopped Masaru, making the child tilt his small head.

"Old people that are already dead?" He questioned innocently.

"I'm sure that there would be people who were ghouls, like this infamous female pirate." Byakuya decided to peak this child's interest by using an object of distraction.

"Pirates?" Asked the little boy with a hopeful smile of glee that increased when his role model nodded, "Footballers and baseball players?! Alright!"

 

Reading began, Masaru was buried in Byakuya's side as the blonde's voice spoke of the beheading of Marie Antoinette and the popular and famous people in their modern day were confirmed to be ghouls and were unfortunately exterminated.

 

At that moment, Byakuya thought about the bruise he saw. It kept dragging through his mind and it tempted him. He wanted to ask, he wanted to know what happened to Masaru. Byakuya couldn't do that, it could ruin the trust that the redheaded child had for him.

 

* * *

 

A month had past and Masaru was enjoying his time at Tanaka Café, despite not being around other kids his age most of the time. He loved hanging out with Byakuya and his friends.

 

The other teens did socialize with Masaru but he found them as boring as healthy food. The only one that could care and entertain him whenever Byakuya couldn't was Ibuki. He loved her confident personality and her love for music but it bothered him when nobody said that they do any type of sport.

 

He also found it boring with no other kids to play with most of the time. On other days at his school, he was lonely too. All he had was Byakuya but even he would be busy and never spend so much time with him..

 

Masaru looked at the clock and watched as a minute went by, for a moment it seemed like a second had gone back to the 45 mark.

 

"Oh..." He groaned.

"Masaru?" A voice spoke that spooked the child.

"Wah!" Masaru jumped and turned around. Byakuya stood over him with his hands behind his back.

"Whoa! Careful, you might hurt yourself."

"Oops. Sorry."

"Anyway, I bought something for you."

"What is it? What is it? What is it?"

"Now calm down, else you'll make me fall," Byakuya said while trying to yank the bottom of his jacket out of Masaru's strong grip, "now close your eyes."

"Okay!" Masaru covered his eyes before looking through a gap.

"Hey. No peeking," Byakuya informed, completely aware of Masaru's ineffective stealth. He pulled out a football with a small face on it, fit to be played with outside, "you can open them now." Masaru looked up from his hands and saw the ball before he gave a wide grin.  
"A football?! I always wanted to have one of these! I could've have gotten one from school but I don't even go to one!" Masaru exclaimed as he was given the ball.

"Stealing is bad, you know." Byakuya stated.  
"Yeah, I know! You wanna play with me?"  
"I... I guess I can."  
"Great!" Masaru jumped up and ran outside with Byakuya following him, "go long!"

 

Byakuya came aware of the cry and he ran over to where the ball was going to be aimed at by using his ghoul speed.

 

And he caught the ball in mid air.

 

"Wow!" Masaru exclaimed in awe, "that was awesome!"

"Oh, thanks." Byakuya stood confused but happy with the compliment.

"You were there but now you're there! Like... How?!" The teenager chuckled at the child being bamboozled.

"It was my speed. Ghouls are normally faster than humans."

"I wish I was that fast, then I could win races before the others could get to the finish line."

"You will be fast, it just depends on your kagune."

"Kagu-wha..."

"Kagune, it's a weapon that comes out of ghoul bodies and it can be used to protect us and attack."

"When will it come?"

"When you're twelve."

"But I'm only six, that's like..." Masaru began counting with his fingers, "a billion years away."

"And yet, you're the strongest of your friends."

"Oh yeah! No way will those guys get stronger."

"I wish you would never get older," Byakuya stated, "let's keep playing."

"Have you ever used yours, Bro."

"No. I don't think I'm ready at the moment. Get ready cause the ball is about to be thrown."

 

Masaru nodded and the two continued their game. Byakuya enjoyed it very much, his own family would never play with him. He saw a lot of himself when he was younger in Masaru, no way was this precious tomato child going to go through his life without having someone to be by his side.

 

This time, Byakuya threw the ball from a distance and hurried to get nearer to Masaru.

 

Masaru aimed before Byakuya came back in place and threw it, only for the wind to blow it straight into the blonde's face, knocking his glasses right off.

 

"Agh! Sorry!" Masaru cried in horror.

"It's alright, Masaru." Byakuya muttered while rubbing his nose and bending over to pick up his glasses.

"I-I didn't mean to!" The child brought his hands to his mouth.

"I said that I'm alright, I'm not hurt."

"You're probably angry at me!"

"Wha- No. I'm not angry." Byakuya walked over to Masaru. The boy stepped away in fear.

"No, you are!" Masaru flinched when Byakuya came down to his level.

"Masaru. What's going on?"

"Nothing!"

"Masaru."

 

The 6 year old quickly turned a corner and ran back inside, not even bothering to pick up his football. Whenever dad was angry, he would always turn to Masaru and hit him until he bled. He was only a child, he didn't understand that a parent is not supposed to hit their kids.

 

He skidded across the floor and scrambled upstairs to try and get away from any more possible abuse. Once he reached the living room and slammed the door shut and ran to the wardrobe. He opened the door and tried to hide within the coats and clothes before reaching out and shutting the wardrobe completely.

 

Masaru heard the living room door open and he quickly slowed down his breathing to avoid being caught.

 

Byakuya read books about children and the usual place to hide would be under the bed or inside the wardrobe. There was no bed in the living room at all. Byakuya rolled his eyes and his amazing observation skills and walked to the wardrobe, opening it swiftly.

 

"Masaru, I know you're in here."

"No I'm not."

"Aha!" Byakuya reached in and grabbed Masaru's arm, gently pulling him out.

"No! **_No, no, no_**! Let me go!"

"Masaru, tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if I don't know what's going on."

"Nothing! Nothing's going on!"

"Nothing is going on?"

"No! It's just... You're gonna hit me o-or-"

"What? Hit you?!"

 

Masaru looked at Byakuya in confusion and fear, he saw the anger and disbelief in the blonde's face. He began to quiver and Masaru tried to get himself to stop, only for Byakuya to grab his hands.

 

"I don't know where you got that idea, but I would never hit you. Now don't be scared and tell me-"

"I... I-I'm n-not go-ing to b-be afraid! I'm not scared, **I'M NOT SCARED**!" The kid suddenly screamed. Byakuya felt like slapping someone who was being hysterical was the best solution but this was Masaru, a child who was practically begging not to be hit.

"M-Masaru, listen to me! I won't hurt you. I'm not ever going to hit you," Byakuya carefully stroked the child's hair in a gentle manner, "you don't have to be afraid."

"...You wouldn't?" Masaru asked as he wiped his nose.

"No! It's illegal to hit a kid."

"But... What if I needed to be taught a le-"

"Lesson? I would just put you in the naughty corner, like Amaya did with Gundam and the others when we were your age. She would never hit us."

"But what about the ball?"

"That was an accident, Masaru. I know you didn't mean it."

"I'm sorry..." Masaru whimpered.

"Don't apologise, you didn't mean to do it."

  
Masaru threw himself into Byakuya's arms and began to cry. The blonde couldn't understand why though. He didn't understand why Masaru was so attached him in the first place. He didn't understand why he had so many bruises and he didn't-

  
Wait... Masaru's current behaviour, the fear of being hit and the bruises. They all linked together, no way would bruises be that frequent in sports. Besides, Masaru is a champion at avoiding getting hit in any exercise or activity. All the signs were pointing to...

 

"Masaru? Do your parents hit you?" He felt the child tense up in his grasp.  
"Papa does... Mama is gone..." Masaru said, muffling his answer through Byakuya's shirt. Byakuya's eyes narrowed in rage.

"How many times does he hit you?" Masaru didn't answer, he was most likely to scared to, "does he do anything else?"

"...he tells me to go get some bottles from the store, they always smell bad. I can't buy them so I..." Byakuya concluded that the substance must be alcohol. But why? Ghouls can't drink alcohol.

"What does he do if you can't get them?"

"..." Masaru sniffled as he rubbed his eyes, not willing to open his mouth.

"You're not going back to that man."

"What?"

"I'm not letting him take you. You'll be safe with us, and Amaya will make sure that he doesn't come back for you."

 

* * *

 

"WHAT?!" Byakuya yelled as he slammed a fist on the table. His plan to keep Masaru with him, away from his father was going well... Until Amaya rejected the idea.

 

"Byakuya, his father is a ghoul. I'm a human, he could kill me if I tried to keep Masaru from him." Amaya reasoned.

"But he could kill Masaru if he keeps beating him. He's only a child and his healing is not at the same level as an adult ghoul!"

"I understand, Byakuya. But the only way I can see your plan working is if we..." Amaya trailed off with her words but Byakuya understood what she was going to say.

"If we kill him," his words made Amaya tense, "if that's what it's going to take then we'll risk it."

"No." The blonde glowered at the woman, "I'm not going to risk everyone's lives, there's enough problems to deal with at the moment. Murder is not going to be a part of it."

"In case you've forgotten, ghouls-"

"Most ghouls but not us! Now, I don't want any part of your... Your dangerous idea!"

 

"I'm only addressing the problem, I'm not saying that you have to do yourself," Byakuya turned to the window, "I'll do it myself."

"N-No! Absolutely not! What if you get caught by investigators?! You'll ruin your reputation as a Togami"

"I don't care." Byakuya turned on his heel and walked over to the door.

"If this is to get attention from Sayaka then it won't work."

"Amaya. That was last year, we've both gotten over it. She won't care."

"That's not true!"

"Don't try and stop me, Amaya. I'm doing this alone if you won't help me."

Amaya reached out and walked as fast as she could but the door slammed shut.

 

* * *

 

 

Amaya paced through the room while Sayaka held Masaru in her arms and gently layed him over her lap. Worry and tension was what kept the girls awake throughout the night.

 

"Oh, it's been a while now. I hope he's alright." Amaya said while pacing.

"You don't think it was because I-" Sayaka started but was interrupted.

"No, it's not because of that. This is about Masaru." Masaru began stirring on Sayaka's lap.

"W-where's Byakuya-Bro?" He whispered, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Byakuya is coming soon. He'll be-"

At that moment, the bell above the door rang and in stepped a bloodied Byakuya.

"Byakuya-Bro?... Why are you all red? Did you get hurt?" Masaru asked while getting off the couch.

"A little bit but I'm fine." Masaru hugged Byakuya tightly once they were at the same level.

 

Sayaka and Amaya looked over at each other in concern before the mother grabbed the remote and turned on the T.V, switching to the news channel.

 

 _'-six Ghoul Investigators were critically wounded by a ghoul smaller than the average ghoul. Mr Kijo Tsubasa has concluded that the ghoul must have been an adolescent. Mr Tsubasa, what do you have to say about this 'teenaged ghoul'?'_ an announcer turned to a man with a stern face.

 

_'A ghoul of this age would most likely be testing their abilities as a ghoul. But it's concerning that they haven't even eaten any of the bodies. Especially one that belongs to another ghoul-"_

 

Amaya and Sayaka's faces paled in shock. Byakuya and Masaru looked at the T.V too.

 

 Masaru may not be some child genius but he was smart enough to know what this meant.

 

"B-Byakuya-Bro..." The child looked over at the latter, only for Byakuya to gently take hold of his arm.

"Turn the T.V off, Amaya. Masaru has to sleep." Byakuya said, not willing to look at the T.V or Masaru directly.

"Byakuya... Where did you go?" Masaru said his sentence in fear. Byakuya tried smiling to hide his guilt.

"...I only talked to your father and then I left." 

"You... You didn't hurt him, did you?" Masaru felt his arms shaking.

"...well, I had to keep him from hurting you. So I..." Byakuya trailed off, he had no excuse but he didn't want Masaru to look at him like that, "Masaru, please don't look at me like that. I was just..."

"...What did you do?" Masaru whimpered.

"I..." Byakuya couldn't keep the truth from him forever, "...I'm sorry... But it was the only way... Your father is-"

 

Masaru ran into the other room and slammed the door shut.

 

Byakuya had never felt so much regret overpowering him. Only one time he felt it before but it wasn't as agonizing as it was now.

 

* * *

 

Masaru slowly came out from under the blanket that was draped over his small shoulders after hearing the sound of arguing and walked over to the door that he had shut and borded up with random furniture.

  
His normally bright blue eyes were now a saddened blue with small bags under them. Masaru silently pressed his ear against the door.

 

"What exactly did you do, Byakuya?" Sayaka's voice was heard, dripping with shock and desperation.

"Honestly, I tried to talk with him. I honestly did," Byakuya retorted, "but the moment I said that Masaru was not going to stay in his care anymore, he attacked me." Masaru's eyebrows raised at that accusation, he didn't want to judge his own dad but he did hurt him repeatedly, "He wasn't even sober, I don't know how he got drunk since he's a ghoul but he did. He stated that I smelled like someone. That... Asshole was worse than I thought... He almost used his kagune but I... I..." Masaru heard a sigh, "I did what I had to do..."

"How did you come out alive after fighting the CCG? Amaya did say that you'd get caught."

"They never saw my face and even if they did, they're going to die anyway."

"Is this what you've become after we-"

"What makes you think that it's all about that?! It happened last year so don't mention it! ...I decided that I would take position as Masaru's caretaker. I may have only had him for three days but if anything happened to him, I would kill anyone and then myself."

 

Masaru gave a small sob. He hugged himself tightly, desperately wanting the embrace of the blonde. He looked back at the door and gave his decision to move the furniture, unaware of the window in the room opening silently. The child rubbed his eyes while reaching for handle. 

 

The shadow from outside slowly crept inside, tiptoeing until they were right behind the child. Masaru almost opened the door but froze when he felt the need to look behind him.

 

"Stay quiet." The figure spoke.

"...M-Mikan?..." Masaru whispered in fear.

"P-please forgive me... I have no choice..."

 

* * *

 

"Masaru?" Byakuya knocked on the door, Gundam was behind him with his four devas out of his newly received scarf, "I'm sorry, but I thought it would be the only way to keep you safe with him never coming back."

 

No response.

 

"You have every right to be mad at me but I just want to know if you'd forgive me."

 

No response.

 

"Please come out, Masaru. I promise I won't hurt you... Ever."

 

Byakuya sat down with his back pressed against the door. He looked at Gundam and waited for him to say something and when he opened his mouth, the door was unlocked and opened... Making Byakuya fall onto his back.

 

"Ow!"

 

The blonde straightened up and he looked inside the room; Masaru was nowhere to be seen.

 

Gundam raised a non-existant eyebrow and analysed the room.

 

"Peculiar. The young mortal is not in this wing at all," the occultist noticed a piece of paper on the table before picking it up and reading it, "I didn't know the child could do the art of the pen so well."

"He's a child, Gundam. He  _can't_ write."

"This is a drawing."

 

Byakuya took a look at the paper, only seeing some fancy written words and a drawing.

 

"Huh?"

"Allow me," Gundam stated before sniffing the paper. If anything, Byakuya knew Gundam was as adept at smelling different scents as he was with animals than himself. The occultist's eyes widened, "a familiar scent has overcome him."

"Wait what?" Byakuya tilted his head in confusion.

"The scent is faint but the room smells like a struggle took place. I cannot pinpoint the exact origin of the scent."

"Gundam. I never used my nose that much as a child so I have no idea what you mean." Gundam groaned before talking normally.

"Somebody has taken Masaru."

 

The blonde's eyes widened before he placed his hands on Gundam's shoulders.

 

"Lead me to the scent, Gundam."

"Why, exactly?"

"Because Masaru might get hurt if he's been taken from us!"

 

Gundam immediately nodded and went ahead of the blonde, walking out of the room and out of the building. They began running once they were far from people. The duo ran into some alleyways before stopping near a sewer.

 

"In here." Gundam stated as he gripped the paper.

"There?"

"Indeed." The older boy began to take off his shoes after lifting up the sewer cover.

"...Fuck it..." Byakuya muttered before jumping into the murky waters and then Gundam followed.

 

Byakuya ran beside Gundam, face warped with a swarm of hurt emotions. Just why would anyone kidnap Masaru? Their feet splashed through the sewer waters, aware that the scene changed to what looked like an underground coliseum.

"Shit. We can't look through all of this."

"Shall we not split up?" Gundam suggested.

"Great idea(!) That always works out well in horror movies."

"Indeed." Gundam began running in the left direction.

"Wait a minute! Gundam!" But Gundam was gone, "great(!)"

 

Byakuya looked both left and right before going into the opposite direction and hoped that Masaru was anywhere here.

 

He ran and ran. He looked at the cages that frequently appeared where ever he went, he even saw people through the bars but he saw no Masaru, other then that the place was practically deserted and Byakuya's fear and worry increased.

 

Light brightened up ahead and Byakuya instinctively shielded his eyes until they focused on a girl that cupped her hands as she walked closer into view.

"Mikan?"

"Byakuya... I knew you cared about me-"

"What are you doing here? Where's Masaru?"

"I-I..."

"Quick, help me find him and we can get out of here quickly-"

"I can't..."

"What?..."

"...I-I had to take him... It was my turn to take..."

"You did this?"

"W-well... yes." Mikan hesitated with her answer, her impressive animalistic instincts kept telling her to run.

"Where's Masaru?"

"W-what?"

"Masaru. The child you kidnapped. My brother?"

"I-I really-"

"Tell me where he is!"

 

Mikan stepped back in fear. Byakuya's kakugan awakened and left Mikan frozen in one spot. The red lines from his one eye had tattooed the outside of the eyelid by itself, proof that the angrier a ghoul was, the more biological ghoul lines would appear from around the eye instead of just the sclera.

 

"Listen... I just want him back. If you give Masaru back to me, I'll leave you alive." Byakuya held out a hand as if he were expecting Masaru to be given in his hand.

"N-No..." Mikan whimpered, as if she were terrified to admit the truth, "I had to take him to make you pay attention to me."

"What?"

"You're always with him now and you don't even seem to care about us anymore." The girl jumped a distance away from Byakuya to avoid his fury, her love for Byakuya was only half the motive.

"I don't know what the hell you have been eating but I care about everyone as equally as I care about Masaru."

"N-No. You don't care about me at all."

 

Byakuya began to get irritated with the girl's excuse.

 

"That's enough! Tell me the fucking truth already!" The blonde felt a harsh pain tearing through his back but that was literally the least of his problems, "WHERE IS MY BROTHER?!"

"...your kagune..." Mikan mouthed in shock at the sight of his kagune, "...I only took him because... Because I can't lose you. I hate hurting the people I love- ugh!"

  
Mikan fell onto her back after her legs were sliced open. She clenched her teeth as a foot was slammed onto her stomach, making her scream once more. One of her eyes opened to see Byakuya kneeling down on her torso and pull a fist up and repeatedly punch and scratch at her face, blood beginning to leak from the newly opened cuts.

She screamed outloud but she didn't pay much attention to the fists. It was the Ukaku kagune that stole her attention... It was absolutely beautiful.

Her blood began staining Byakuya's pale fist and her mouth tasted so much of it.

 

"The truth." Byakuya muttered audibly for her once he paused. His kagune began to harden to a crystal that was ready to break and shatter.

  
Mikan only decided to cough, accidentally spitting blood into his face and it splattered onto his glasses. She noticed what she had done and began to plead.

"B-B-Byakuya, I-I-I-I DIDN'T MEAN TO-" Byakuya didn't say anything and only grabbed her throat. And the kagune broke and the shards scratched her face and chest with deep cuts. Mikan didn't scream but her mouth was open try and let a cry out.

  
Even Byakuya was cut but they were nothing compared to Mikan. He gave a cold glare at the female ghoul and waited for a reaction, smirking when her hand moved and pointed in one direction. But the grin faded when he saw a tied up Masaru with chains on his ankles and a muzzle on his face.

  
The blonde faced the nurse in training, breathing heavily. He removed his hand from her throat and placed both on her wrists. Mikan thought she'd be let go but Byakuya opened his mouth, showing his slightly sharpened teeth before latching them onto the vulnerable neck and pulled on her throat.

  
He could hear her screaming, he could hear her crying. And until her blood began spraying onto his body, he wouldn't stop his action.

 

And there she layed. Limp like death, throat bare through the skin. Byakuya regretted nothing.

 

His gaze turned back to Masaru and he quickly jumped to his feet and ran over to the child. Thankfully he was out cold, not dead. Byakuya broke the long chains into smaller broken parts that let Masaru fall into his arms.

 

"I'm glad, you didn't have to see me acting like a monster." He whispered as he began removing the muzzle off his tiny face. Byakuya felt like he would've cried at the sight of Masaru's face not bearing any marks, happily showing that the child wasn't hurt. The blonde's kagune had already went back into his shoulders the moment he embraced the small boy.

 

Carefully he pulled off the chains without hurting Masaru and picked him up without stirring him. The kakugan had turned back into a normal sclera with a blue iris.

 

The blonde turned around and heard footsteps the moment he took a step forward.

 

Gundam came through... With another person with messy black hair.

 

"Who's that?" Byakuya questioned, eyeing the new boy down.

"He is coming with us." Gundam responded, Byakuya glared at both of them this time. Gundam quickly retorted in defense of the ghoul he rescued, "I promise to take care of any situation that they initiate."

 

The blonde proceeded to roll his eyes, too tired to argue, and continue walking with Masaru's arms around his neck. Gundam and the boy followed in tow.

 

The group of now four people remained in complete silence once they reached the same ladder to the surface that was there when Gundam and Byakuya came down to save Masaru.

 

"Is he your brother?" The new ghoul, now known as Kazuichi, asked.

"..." Byakuya took a moment to glare at the unphased ghoul before answering, "yes. He's my little brother."

 

The redhead squeezed his hold on Byakuya tighter, and Masaru opened his eyes to see Gundam and Kazuichi.

 

"You guys look like you're married..." He quietly joked, making the ghouls he looked blush a deep red.

"...Hey Masaru." Byakuya said, "Listen, I'm sorry about what I did to your dad but I didn't want him to come back and hurt you again. If anything had happened to you with Mikan-"

"It's ok... I know," Masaru said as he nuzzled his face into Byakuya's shoulder in fatigue, "...I love you, big brother."

 

Byakuya looked down at Masaru, feeling the boy hug him tightly and he couldn't help but do the same.

 

"...I love you too, my little brother."

 


End file.
